Study of Process Parameters for Plasma Etching Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Glass Surfaces

Guided by fundamental plasma etching principles, this investigation systematically examined the influence mechanisms of three critical parameters (chamber pressure, gas ratio, and RF power) on BF33 glass etching using CF4/Ar gas mixtures through single-factor experimentation. Combined with chemical modification, superhydrophobic surfaces with a static contact angle of 157° were successfully prepared by this process. The results demonstrated that: (1) The glass etching rate increased significantly with elevated chamber pressure, though the growth rate progressively diminished; (2) The gas ratio R regulated the etching rate through balanced physical sputtering and chemical reactions, with the optimal gas ratio for BF33 glass etching determined as <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$R=50 \%$</tex>; (3) While the etching rate exhibited substantial enhancement with increased RF power, the incremental gain initially amplified before declining, establishing 300 W as the optimal etching power under the condition of <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$R=50 \%$</tex>. This study provides critical process references for plasma etching preparation of glass materials utilized in electrical equipment.